Polymer films used, e.g., in medical dressings and drapes, referred to as dressings below, are conformable, i.e., the films are extremely thin, flexible and supple. They are typically supplied with a protective release liner, which covers a pressure sensitive adhesive layer coated surface of the film. When the protective release liner is removed, the adhesive coated film tends to wrinkle and adhere to itself, thereby interfering with the smooth, aseptic application of the dressing to, e.g., a patient's skin. Various delivery systems have been proposed to address this problem, wherein such delivery systems include a carrier which is applied to a side of the polymer film which is oppositely situated to the side of the polymer film to which the pressure sensitive adhesive layer is applied.
However, despite the improvement that such carriers have provided, such carriers are not able to maintain the integrity of the peel force between a carrier and a polymeric film.
The ability to apply a polymer film without creasing or wrinkling depends in large part on the peel force. It will be understood that control over the bonds produced during a heat seal portion of manufacturing can be affected by a number of variables including the materials heat sealed, the temperature of a heated roll, the speed of a web and the pressure between a heated roll and a nip roll. Furthermore, it will be understood that sterilization of the resulting products can also affect the bond strength. In particular, it is known that the strength of the bond between a backing adhesive and a patient's skin can be affected by gamma, electron beam or ethylene oxide sterilization. By way of example, ethylene oxide sterilization can in many medical dressing structures cause bond strength issues. For example, it can increase the strength of the bond between a urethane film and a heat sealed surface, which couples the film to a carrier, to such a high level that would make removing the film from the carrier impractical. Exposure to wide temperature fluctuations during transportation also affects the bond strength.
Accordingly, there is a need for an assembly that can substantially maintain the peel strength between a carrier and a polymeric film during assembly, sterilization, packaging, shipping, and storage of the assembly.